Serves: 8Fiona Smith makes a classic fuss-free festive feast.

Turning the turkey while cooking keeps the breast meat moist, but you do not end up with a perfect looking bird. If you want to roast it breast side up, make sure you baste it regularly to keep the meat moist, and cover it with foil if it’s getting too brown. Turkey also cooks well in a covered barbecue. To do this, preheat a kettle or lidded barbecue to 180°C. Place the turkey on the centre of the barbecue and close the lid. Cook for 13⁄4 to 2 hours for an unstuffed turkey.

4 garlic cloves, chopped
1⁄4 cup tightly packed thyme leaves
1⁄4 cup tightly packed oregano leaves
3 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped finely grated zest of 2 lemons
2 teaspoons flaky salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons duck fat, butter or olive oil
4kg turkey

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Place the garlic, thyme, oregano, rosemary, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a large mortar and pestle or small food processor and blend together. Add half the duck fat, butter or oil and keep blending until you have
a paste. Mix in the remaining fat. Carefully slide your hands between the flesh and skin of the turkey, taking care not to tear the skin. Rub the herb mixture all over the turkey, under the skin.

Place the turkey, breast side up, in a lined roasting dish. Cook for 30 minutes. Remove the turkey from the oven and turn it on to one side. Baste with the pan juices then reduce the oven to 160°C and return the turkey to the oven. Cook for 40 minutes then turn to the other side, baste and cook for a further 40 minutes. Finally, turn breast side up again, baste well with the pan juices and cook for about 30 minutes or until cooked. If the turkey is getting too brown at any stage during cooking, cover it with foil – this also helps to keep the moisture in.

Remove the turkey from the oven and rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Wine - Go for a Hawke’s Bay cabernet sauvignon with this dish.

Sourdough sauce

Using sourdough to make a traditional bread sauce gives it a wonderful depth of flavour.

1 onion, peeled and halved
|4 cloves
1 bay leaf
600ml full-cream milk
100g fresh sourdough breadcrumbs
45ml cream

Place the onion, cloves, bay leaf and milk in a saucepan and heat until just before boiling point. Simmer for 10 minutes then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 1 hour. Strain, return to the saucepan and add the breadcrumbs. Place over a low heat and gently simmer, stirring, for about 15 minutes. Stir in the cream and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with the turkey.